Why McLaren Can Breathe New Life into a Predictable Season

Joe Marshall-@AllSportJoe

By the time Lando Norris crossed the line to finish second in the Hungarian Grand Prix, Max Verstappen had already packed his suitcase and was on his way to Belgium. Red Bull and Verstappen dominated the race in a similar way to how they have dominated the season, as highlighted by the records they are setting along the way. With Verstappen’s victory at the Hungaroring, Red Bull set a record of 12 race wins in a row. A quite simply incredible feat.

This dominance has been cited as a reason why many fans are less engaged with Formula 1 this season. After the Hollywood-esque 2021 season, the last two seasons have been underwhelmingly predictable. Red Bull immediately got to grips with the new regulations and left everyone else playing catch up. A few teams have flirted with playing second fiddle to the Milton Keynes outfit, Ferrari spent the first half of 2022 finding new and exciting ways to self-destruct, Mercedes have had more false dawns than Manchester United in the post-Ferguson era, and even Aston Martin started this season with a Spaniard who enjoyed Bull-fighting. However, a new team has emerged from midfield obscurity who I truly believe might be able to sustain a reasonable attack on Christian Horner’s winning machine, and they come dressed in papaya.

Let me start by saying this, I don’t expect to see Lando Norris or Oscar Piastri challenging for victories every weekend. Norris’ 33 second deficit to Max Verstappen was evidence of how far off they still are, however there are signs that they could have the pace, particularly on Saturdays, to disrupt the party, and spark this much-maligned season into life.

Firstly, McLaren are likeable. McLaren are one of the sport’s most popular teams, with a large fan base spanning generations. Success for McLaren is always greeted with pleasure around the world, and their two happy go lucky drivers only add to the general goodwill that is generated when they succeed. This popularity is a key factor in why their success can kickstart this season as a spectacle. A genuine challenger to Red Bull is obviously required, and whereas McLaren are still some way off competing with them for a full race distance, regular podiums for Lando Norris and close qualifying battles will provide neutral fans with reasons to tune to every session.

Another reason a resurgent McLaren can salvage fans’ attention is the emergence of young superstar Oscar Piastri. He has had to play a supporting role to team leader Lando so far, especially when he had to wait an extra race weekend to receive the upgrades that have propelled the papaya team up the grid. However, it is obvious that his time will come, and he will soon get his first podium. Piastri has shown incredible maturity in his rookie season, driving with a composed head throughout. It is well acknowledged that Norris was outperforming the car’s potential during the early races, and Oscar was only a couple of tenths down on his more experienced team mate’s lap times back then. Now with a stronger car, the Aussie is proving he isn’t intimidated by racing at the sharp end, pitting his wits against some of the biggest names in the sport. If and when the time comes for Piastri to stand on the podium, it will undoubtedly be one of the stand out moments of the season, and fans should stay tuned because it will surely be the first of many.

McLaren are one of the most successful teams in the history of F1, but barring third placed finishes in 2020 and 2021, they have spent most of the past decade as a midfield runner, squabbling with half a dozen other teams for the lower points positions. However, their rise to the front should motivate other midfield teams to strive to match them. The financial rewards for finishing higher in the constructors championship are well documented, but with more and more investment in the sport, there are more and more people financially tied to strong results for each team. A midfield pack of teams all pushing each other to climb the table can only be a good thing for the sport. With Red Bull clear at the front, Mercedes, Aston Martin, Ferrari and even Alpine should all see McLaren as a serious rival in the chasing pack. If we aren’t seeing much competition for the top spot, this McLaren renaissance could be the catalyst for a supreme battle for second place, and close battles are what we all want, aren’t they?

It might be too early to confidently predict that McLaren will be second best all season, as I said above, numerous teams have spent time as F1’s number two in recent times. However, this emergence of a strong McLaren could well be the most exciting thing to happen this season, and there are plenty of reasons why we should all be enthused about the rise of the papaya. Don’t switch off just yet.